Question

In the context of cognitive psychology, what is the ‘Stroop effect’?

• A. The difficulty in naming the color of a word when the word itself names a different color
• B. The tendency to recall the first and last items in a list more easily
• C. The interference caused by multitasking on cognitive performance
• D. The enhancement of memory due to emotional arousal

Hint:

The Stroop effect demonstrates how automatic processes like reading interfere with tasks requiring attention, such as color naming.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The Stroop effect refers to the cognitive interference that occurs when the name of a color (e.g., the word "red") is printed in a different color ink (e.g., blue). It demonstrates the difficulty of overriding automatic responses in favor of more controlled ones. This effect highlights how automatic reading processes can interfere with tasks requiring attention to color naming.
- The tendency to recall the first and last items in a list more easily (B) refers to the serial position effect, not the Stroop effect.
- The interference caused by multitasking on cognitive performance (C) is related to cognitive overload but not the Stroop effect.
- The enhancement of memory due to emotional arousal (D) is known as the emotional enhancement of memory, but it is not the Stroop effect.
Thus, (A) is the correct answer.